What Lizzie Borden was actually like in real life, according to the people who knew her

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story makes Lizzie out to be a strange woman and often describes her as “plain,” but what was she like in real life? Here’s what the historical records say. 

The new Monster series arrived on Netflix on Thursday and follows the real-life story of the American woman who was accused of killing her father and stepmother in Fall River, Massachusetts, in August 1892.

It’s based on a true story, but some parts have been made up for the series. And while Lizzie was described as being quiet in real life, this has been exaggerated for the show. 

According to records, Lizzie was reserved, introverted and didn’t show emotion, but always polite and proper. She was an upper-middle-class Victorian churchwoman who was highly involved in her community, not a complete recluse as Monster makes out.

However, she was 32 when she was accused of the murders and a spinster, which is likely why she was viewed negatively. During that time, any woman who wasn’t married was regarded as inferior and had a big stigma.

The best records of what Borden was like in real life come from the people who knew or met her. A childhood neighbour described her appearance as “tall, stocky, jowly, dressy, and unremarkable”.

Credit: Netflix

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During the trial, District Attorney Hosea Knowlton, who was the prosecutor, said she had a “calm and quiet demeanour” and was “stoic,” meaning she got on with things without showing emotion, the court records reveal. 

New York Times articles from the time similarly described her as having an “impassive countenance,” which is a facial expression that shows no emotion. Press coverage from The Smithsonian said she was “quiet, modest and well-bred”.

The maid, Bridget Sullivan, said Lizzie always spoke to her stepmother “civilly” and admitted she “liked the place” when asked if she enjoyed working at the Borden home. However, behind the quiet exterior, Lizzie had a fiery side too, which is widely reported on. 

Hiram Harrington, Andrew Borden’s brother-in-law, said she was “haughty and domineering with the stubborn will of her father” and had a “repellent disposition,” meaning she tended to turn people away

He also claimed she would “become sulky” and refuse to speak to her father “for days at a time”. But he positively described her as a “brilliant conversationalist”.

In spring 1892, a dressmaker called Hannah Gifford accidentally referred to Abby as Lizzie’s mother, and she was furious. She instantly snapped and corrected her, saying: “Don’t say that to me, for she is a mean, good-for-nothing.”

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